Stephen Vogt has already made the leap from catcher to manager, and now he’s pointing to another Guardians backstop who could someday follow the same road.
During an appearance this week on MLB Network’s Intentional Talk, Vogt was asked which current player might be a future manager. He didn’t hesitate to highlight Austin Hedges, praising the veteran catcher’s presence in the clubhouse.
“Austin Hedges is such a great personality. He brings so much energy.
He brings so much joy. He’s always got something to get the boys going, so Hedgey’s definitely right up there [as a future manager],” Vogt said.
Vogt also summed it up another way, saying, “He brings so much energy. He brings so much joy.”
That kind of endorsement carries real weight coming from Vogt, who retired after the 2022 season, spent a year on Seattle’s coaching staff and was managing Cleveland by 2024. Since taking over the Guardians, he has won two AL Manager of the Year awards and three straight division titles.
Hedges’ reputation around the team fits the praise. He has been one of the most respected voices in the Guardians’ clubhouse, and his influence stretches well beyond what shows up in the box score.
In April, after Cleveland took two of three from the Dodgers to open the season, he reminded the room that people count the Guardians out every year. Chase DeLauter also identified Hedges as one of the veterans he turns to for advice.
It also makes sense that Vogt would see a future manager in a catcher. The position naturally lends itself to that kind of path, with catchers handling game plans, guiding pitching staffs and seeing everything unfold in front of them.
Vogt was a catcher himself, and plenty of current managers came up behind the plate. Hedges has built his career on defense and game calling, and he has worked with some of the best pitching staffs in baseball in San Diego, Cleveland and Texas.
He also won a World Series ring with the Rangers in 2023.
For now, though, the bigger question is where Hedges plays next. He’s a free agent after hitting .247 with six home runs, 25 RBIs and a career-best 99 OPS+ in 78 games.
At 34, he remains a strong defender, and his value to a young roster is obvious. Cleveland signed him last winter to a one-year, $4 million deal, and a similar arrangement would make sense again.
Whether Hedges is back as Cleveland’s backup catcher or ends up taking a different path later on, Vogt’s comments made one thing clear: the Guardians manager sees him as someone who leaves a mark wherever he goes.
In Other News...
Chase DeLauter Just Made Clevelands Next Decision A Lot Harder
Chase DeLauters strong season has only sharpened the conversation around what comes next for the Guardians, and it is not a simple one. The outfielder was a finalist for the Louisville Silver Slugger award, a sign that his bat has already put him in rare company as Cleveland continues weighing how to build around its young core.
The Guardians have long shown a willingness to lock up promising players early, and DeLauter fits the kind of profile that can push that thinking into overdrive. He managed to stay productive across 133 games last season despite the injury concerns that have followed him, and that combination of upside and durability questions is exactly what makes a long-term deal feel both logical and complicated at the same time. [Read more 🡒]
Foster Griffin's Next Deal Could Sting Guardians Fans Fast
Foster Griffins time in Cleveland was brief, but it came with real impact. Acquired at the trade deadline, he helped the Guardians push through the stretch run, then played a part in a division title and an ALCS trip that kept the season alive deep into October.
Now the concern for Guardians fans is that the next chapter could come quickly and carry a hefty price tag. Bleacher Reports Tim Kelly projected Griffin to land a three-year, $56 million deal with the Padres, a team facing multiple rotation openings in free agency, and his 2026 season overall gives clubs plenty to weigh after a 15-6 record, a 3.60 ERA and an All-Star nod, even if his form dipped after arriving in Cleveland. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Could Target A White Sox Veteran For A Lineup Need
Randal Grichuks name makes sense for a Guardians lineup that could use a little more certainty against left-handed pitching. The veteran outfielder turned in a strong 2026 season after the White Sox brought him in midseason, and that kind of production is exactly why he has popped up as a possible fit in Cleveland as free agency opens.
For a club that has often had to piece together the edges of its roster, Grichuk offers a straightforward kind of solution: experience, some recent success, and a profile that points toward a short-term deal rather than a long commitment. His age and the way he has performed lately suggest a platoon role would be the most natural landing spot, which is the sort of low-risk addition the Guardians tend to explore when they are trying to sharpen the lineup without overextending. [Read more 🡒]